Cross-border attack kills soldier in Balochistan

ISLAMABAD - A paramilitary soldier was killed in an exchange of fire with militants who entered Pakistani territory from Afghanistan on Friday, the military said.The incident happened in Muslam Bagh sector in Balochistan near the Afghan border.“About 70 to 80 terrorists intruded from (the) Afghanistan side into Pakistani territory,” the military said in a statement. It added Pakistani troops stopped the intruders but during the exchange of fire a paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) soldier was killed.Taliban militants from Afghanistan routinely intrude into Pakistani territory near the border in the northwest and attack military checkposts and their opponents, souring diplomatic ties between Islamabad and Kabul.Insurgents from Afghanistan stormed the house of a local anti-Taliban militia member earlier this month in northwestern Upper Dir district, killing him and three members of his family.Islamabad has blamed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Mullah Fazlullah for the attacks. Fazlullah is believed to be hiding somewhere in Afghanistan’s Nuristan province.Monitoring Desk: The deceased FC soldier was identified as Naik Niyaz while military sources claimed to force back the attackers with a swift retaliation. No group has claimed responsibility for the violent attack.